Super Cool Planets

{image by flickr member gadl}

How awesome is this photo?

I found this via Four Cups of Tea and I had to share (thanks Golriz!).

I'd love to try it but I think it looks a bit complicated for me so I think I'll just keep admiring the Eiffel Planet. It really is too cool. See more planets here.

Abigail received my parcel for the Mellow & Yellow swap. Hurrah!

It has been so cool watching all the photos and parcels unfold. See what I sent Abigail here.

Friday treat

What a treat to find the new issue of Inside Out when I went to Borders after work. But even more so because it has a free delightful notebook by Poppies for Grace. I got the pink one but I love it so much I think I may have to go back and get the grey one as well. So sweet and I adore the perforated pages!

Have a perfect weekend x

I love you Liberty

London store Liberty has a delicious new website. Liberty was my favourite store when I lived there. There is so much to love about it.

The history, the architecture, the absolute grandeur of it all...

Oh and they have fabulous sales so what's not to love about that?!

I loved buying items in their Liberty prints to send home for gifts. Bags, purses, diaries.

So of course I found many beautiful things I had to share...

pretty wrapping paper. good enough for a gift alone

mmm, chocolat. tres bon!

oh for a hot bath with these delicious scents

Liberty prints. my fave. check out that sweet birdy

jewellery by Monica Vineda. gorgeous gems

rolls and rolls of sheer delight

wallpaper heaven

jewellery by Scott Wilson. so divine

cool lighting

Remembering, Baking, Celebrating

Today is a public holiday in New Zealand. It's ANZAC Day, which is the day we pay our respects for those who have fought to defend our country.

This morning, sacrificing a mid week sleep in (they sacrificed their lives, a sleep in is nothing!), I went to the Dawn Parade in town.

*Lest we forget*

Here's a recipe for Anzac biscuits from the Edmonds cookbook (a NZ institution. Every kiwi home has one!)

Anzac Biscuits

1/2 Cup plain flour

1/3 Cup sugar

2/3 Cup coconut

3/4 Cup rolled oats

50g butter

1 Tablespoon golden syrup

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 Tablespoons boiling water

Mix together flour, sugar, coconut and rolled oats. Melt butter and golden syrup.

Dissolve baking soda in the boiling water and add to butter and golden syrup. Stir butter mixture into the dry ingredients. Place level tablespoons of mixture onto cold greased trays.

Bake at 180C for about 15 minutes or until golden.

Makes 20.

Enjoy!

Today is also the birthday of my dear friend Lee. Straight after the dawn parade we went to Lee's house for breakfast with her family where we feasted on pancakes, bananas and maple syrup. Oh, and cupcakes of course!

Happy birthday Lee-wee!

Music Tuesday

Inspired by Alyson's List Friday I've decided to dedicate Tuesdays to my music picks and faves. And if it's good enough for iTunes (iTunes new music Tuesdays) then it's good enough to me.

This week I can't stop listening* to two tunes that I discovered after listening to one of Jo Whiley's shows online at BBC Radio 1:

Either Way by The Twang**

Stop Me*** by Mark Ronson

And I'm also really loving the new Missy Higgins song Steer.

A short little post about my music picks today but stay tuned until next week when I will be declaring my favourite male and female duet songs.

Here's a hint: it features Kenny & Dolly.

Happy music Tuesday my friends!

* are you like me and when you get a new music fave you play it over and over and over? I never get so sick of my favourite songs that I don't ever want to hear them again, but the play count does subside after a little while.

** Love this band name!

*** I've long been a big fan of The Smiths and Morrissey. I'm always a little wary when my favourite songs are sampled or covered by another artist. But this version does not disappoint. It also features 'Keep Me Hangin' On by Kim Wilde (who is now a professional gardener!)

It's nice at Nest

How cosy is this picture from the new catalogue (and on the website) for Nest? It makes me want to go camping which is saying something because I am really not a camping girl*.

Nest have such lovely things. And they stock Habitat - yay. Pity my wallet is not fill to the brim!

But I did just have a milo in this mug which I purchased (I love the colour of this one featured but mine is in an equally gorgeous green grey colour).

Stay warm, it's starting to get chilly here.

*It's not the actual camping I mind, or being without luxuries. It's being without a flushing toilet!

Saturday delight

I've had a wonderfully lazy Saturday

• sleeping in until 9.30am (something I never do. I obviously needed it)
• feeling lucky to spy the May issue of Lucky at Borders
• sushi for lunch
• an afternoon visit to the library

So let me tell you about my fabulous Thursday night at the Jazz Festival. The music was charming. Tim Beveridge was great but I do think it was Russ Garcia who stole the show.

When Tim mentioned that Russ was 91 I thought he was joking. So I came home and googled it. He wasn't joking. I'm in awe of this man! I can only hope that I am as energetic and still love music as much as he does at the age of 91.
Even his name is cool. Russ. Russ Garcia.
This man is the toe-tappin', finger-clickin' epitome of style. He is cool personified. And so suave. Great accent too.
If you don't know much about Russ Garcia then get this - he was the arranger/conductor for Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald for their recording of Porgy and Bess. He's also worked with Count Basie, Sammy Davis Jnr, Mel Torme and Nat King Cole. Too cool!
He is so happily in love with his wife Gina and has been quoted as saying 'I lead a charmed life'. Indeed he does.

A big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Leanne in Sydney. Indulge yourself!

Tag fun

Thanks Marta for this fun tagging game. I'm a little late off the mark but better late than never right?

I *heart*

1. rainy weekends spent playing board games
2. my box of letters from Alice
3. having fresh flowers in the house
4. dusk. Especially when it's going to rain and the sky is dark and stormy but the sun is still strong enough to give off some amazing light. My favourite time of day.
5. lying in the summer sun making daisy chains

I *hate*

1. impatient drivers
2. being late
3. not having a hair tie with me
4. working at a messy desk
5. when my ipod does strange stuff (and when blogger won't let me upload photos like right now!)

It's your turn to be tagged now. Just for fun.

I better go get ready now. My Mum won tickets on the radio to see Tim Beveridge at the Jazz Festival. I'm off to a night of 'New York, New York', 'Mack the Knife', 'The Lady is a Tramp' etc. My kind of night. Yay for Mums who win free stuff!

Pasifika Crane

This is my photo for Liz's Paper Crane Project. There are so many amazing photos. Check them all out on the flickr page here.
Liz has got some really good publicity for the project like this in the flickr blog (I love the crane and cat photo!). But it's not too late to sign up so go to it people!

Missy Rocks!

I was so excited to discover last night that Missy Higgins has a new album out.

I saw Missy play in Christchurch a couple of years ago and went along not knowing much about her. I came away a big fan. She is a fabulous singer and songwriter and even more amazing live. Check her out and she ever comes to your town to perform, don't think twice about going, you won't be disappointed!

List love

I can't get enough of making these lists. Thanks to Andrea for introducing them to me. I don't think you've seen the end of these lists from me!
Make yours here and share the love.

Mellow + Yellow Swap update:

The very talented Abigail should receive a parcel soon. Hurrah!

City Heaven

I love these prints by Rude London.

I love spending time in the country but I really am a city girl at heart. City + heaven. Great phrase.

Have a lovely weekend!

It's a top shop

I love this linen swing jacket from Topshop. I miss shopping in Topshop. I liked to go first thing on Saturday mornings (which unfortunately did mean getting up quite early) when the shop was pretty empty and I only had to share it with a few people. Shopping in Topshop at 1pm on a Saturday afternoon? Forget it!

I'm looking forward to seeing the range from Kate Moss but judging by the Stella McCartney release for Target I think things will get a little crazy!

A chip off the new bowl

I went to get my favourite bowl out of the cupboard tonight to discover it has a big ugly chip. Eek! I loved this bowl. The colour, the shape, the size, the texture.

My immediate thought was 'Oh no, I shouldn't have used it' but what's the point of having things you never use because you don't want them to get old or broken? I hate that.

Ah well, we had some good times together. C'est la vie.

I just caught Morrissey on Later with Jools Holland. Mozza may look a little older these days but he's still got style!

It went a little like this...

I've spent much of the weekend on the couch with the flu. Not at all how I had planned my Easter break. I had so many things I wanted to do and see. It ended up like this (which really wasn't all that bad)

• I watched this and loved it


• I read some of this which I'm enjoying


• I drooled over the latest IKEA catalogue my friend bought back for me from Australia. IKEA can't open in NZ soon enough for me!


• I downloaded and listened to some Sound Opinions podcasts.


• I discovered the lovely and hilarious Stephen Merchant has a radio show on Sundays on BBC 6 Music so I listened online to last weeks show


• And I was overjoyed when I ventured out on Saturday (I had to escape the cabin fever) and saw that Borders is finally stocking Domino magazine. Oh so happy.

It's a Good Friday

Two words: Rove's back.
One word (with both arms raised in the air): Hurrah!

Easter goodies

I love love love Cadbury Mini Eggs. They make sweet little gifts at this time of year. I love the colours and how they look so pretty. And they taste delicious as well! (which a silly part of me thinks is a shame because they look so good but once they're eaten they're all gone and no more prettiness. I told you it was silly).
Julieree likes them too.
Have a lovely Easter break everyone.

Get swapping folks!

Marta from the gorgeous m.writes is organising a swap based on your favourite hue. You will be linked up with another swapper and then you get to choose 3 things based on your chosen colour to send to your swapping partner. I love this idea. Your items needn't be dollar inspired. But sign up quick because the deadline for signing up is April 6. Check it all out here.

This one's for Maria

My friend Maria is mad on Bono. See?
He turned up unannounced to her birthday drinks when he was in Auckland last November (we didn't let on he was made of cardboard)

So this post is especially for you Maria. Your knight in shining ... armour's not quite right. How about this - 'your knight in shining guitars...'